Tamil Nadu

Tiruvannamalai deaths: Rat poison found in post mortem report

Written by : TNM Staff

Following the death of six people of a family in Tiruvannamalai, forensic reports have finally found the cause of the death as yellow phosphorus (rat poison), The Times of India reported.

Sources told TOI that the post-mortem reports of the death of Christha, (65) shows that it was a case of ‘homicide’. Forensic experts reportedly found yellow phosphorus in Christha's kidney and liver during tests on organ samples.

Moreover, an expert said that there were chances of exhuming the other bodies for tests. 

A police team carried out inquiries in Tamil Nadu's Thandarai village on Tuesday and questioned about 60 people in the village. They also took statements from family members and neighbours of the victims. 

However, the case has not been officially given to the police department. 

The police team is headed by additional superintendent of police (crime) Rangarajan and deputy superintendent (rural) Devanathan, TOI reported.

In the last month, five members of the family had died, which includes, Christopher (13), Vinod umar (23), Nelson (9), Krithika Merlin (7) and Joseph (75). 

The family members had said that all of them had similar symptoms before the death, mainly, vomiting and blood pressure drop.

Experts said that rat poison reacts only 72 hours after it was consumed, so they would have consumed the poison about three to four days before their death. 

Two of the family members, Reeta Mary and Saran, recovered after being provided treatment. 

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